Dangerous neighborhood - a spider with a cross on its back

If you like to walk through the forest, then for certain you came across a large spider with a cross on its back, weaving elaborate nets in tree branches. It is called a cross. This is the most common genus of arachnids in our latitudes, numbering over 2 thousand species. Is it worth it to be afraid crosses? Maybe not, but fear should be. An arthropod avoids contact with a person, but if you try to catch it or squeeze it through negligence, a rather painful bite cannot be avoided.

Get to know better

A spider with a cross on its back gave the name to a whole family of arachnids, although not all crosses have such a bright sign. Arthropod belongs to the family of orbiting spiders. The species of interest to us is the common cross, it is widespread in the middle lane and in the south of Russia, it is afraid of the cold, therefore it does not climb into the northern regions.

What do the crosses look like?

The female cross is larger than the male and can reach a length of 2.5 cm. The representative of the opposite sex is half as much. Let us dwell on the most striking identification signs.

• Coloring. The body of the spider is yellowish-brown in color, covered with whitish, as if camouflage, spots. In individuals living in the sun, the color is darker, in the shadow - lighter. On the upper part of the abdomen, several oblong and rounded spots stand out, forming a white pattern in the shape of a cross.
  
• Large round abdomen. If there is one, then this is a "girl." In males, the abdomen is narrow and not so convex.
• Many hairs that cover the cephalothorax, abdomen, limbs. They perform not only a protective, but also a tactile function.
• Darker rings are noticeable on walking legs.

The rest of the structure of the spider with a cross is the same as that of the other arachnids - 4 pairs of legs and simple eyes, each with a piercing-sucking type of mouth (leg jaw). All this is located on the cephalothorax.

Habitat

The crosspiece loves moist places, protected from the sun, therefore it settles in thickets of bushes, on trees, in tall grass. The “unsociable” temper of the hermit is manifested in the fact that more often it can be found in neglected places - in abandoned areas, wild gardens, in dilapidated summer cottages. Here is a spider with a cross on its back expanse - know, braid everything with a spider web, no one will disturb.

Lifestyle

The night hunter, predator, hermit, the tireless hard worker - these are perhaps the most significant characteristics of the character and lifestyle of the cross.

Potential victims are small insects that our hero catches with the help of a spider web, arranged almost vertically. She's very sticky. Flies, mosquitoes, aphids, once in the network, stick tightly, and trying to get out, get even more tangled.

Every night, the spider works - inspects the network, weaves new ones. If someone too large, such as a bumblebee, has gotten into the snare, the crosspiece prefers not to get involved and breaks the web.

Interesting! In the weaving of nets, the spider-cross is a virtuoso. This "talent" he laid down at the genetic level. And no matter how many networks are compared, they are all made on the same principle. Exactly 39 thick filaments of radii diverge from the center; 35 turns of sticky web are fixed on them in a circle.Accordingly, the attachment points are always 1245. Here is such a spider arithmetic!

Features of Spider Hunting

A spider with a white cross on its back is hunting from an ambush. He does not sit on the web, but hides in a special shelter, usually among dense foliage. To the den from the center of the trap there is a “signal string”, which the cross-stitch watches. The slightest wobble of the thread - the hunter is right there.

A tangled insect is held by a spider with its jaws. To immobilize the victim, pierces the chitinous cover with sharp chelicera, injects poison. After that swaddles the prey with a bundle of cobwebs. In addition to poison, a spider injects a digestive enzyme into it, which literally digests the insides. The fact is that the spider’s digestive system is able to absorb ready-made nutrients, and the process of digestion takes place remotely, essentially inside the victim’s body.
After a while, the spider-cross again approaches the prey in order to enjoy lunch.

Interesting! This is a rather voracious arthropod. Every day, the crosspiece eats up to a dozen insects, and can catch several hundred! If there is a lot of production, it leaves in reserve. In this case, the victim is only paralyzed and wrapped in a cocoon, digested as necessary.

The basic Instinct

The mating period begins near the end of summer. Female crosses behave like real "Black widows" - after fertilization they eat a partner. In autumn, the female lays eggs (about 300 pieces), around which a dense cocoon of soft cobwebs weaves. For a while she wears it on herself, then hides it in a secluded place, attaching to some surface. Then dies.

Juvenile spiders appear in the spring of next year, but they reach puberty only after wintering, the next summer.

Interesting! The web is not only a hunting device, but also a vehicle for spiders. Arthropod throws light thread and carries it with the wind. In this way they cover a distance of up to 400 km.

The benefits of the crosses

A spider with a cross on its back benefits a person.

1. He eats a huge number of insects, many of which harm the garden and the garden.
2. In folk medicine, a web is used. It is a powerful antibacterial agent, which in the "field" conditions is used to disinfect and heal wounds.
3. Adhesive web is able to capture the smallest microparticles. Scientists use this property to analyze the composition of air in a particular area.
4. Residents of the tropics rely on the strength of the cobweb - weave nets, fishing nets from it.

The danger of the cross for man

The bite of a spider with a cross is no more dangerous for a person than if a bee stings him. It feels like an instant sharp injection. A swelling appears at the site of the bite, a small white spot in the puncture zone, the skin around it turns red, itches. The body is released from toxins in 24 hours.

More serious symptoms are felt by people suffering from an allergic reaction to insect bites. They may have:

• headache;
• weakness and aching in the joints;
• chills;
• temperature increase;
• edema, including mucous membranes;
• burning, tingling of the bite;
• skin tightening in the lesion.

Note! Most often, the cross stitch bites a person when he picks it up or an arthropod accidentally falls under clothing. There were cases when a spider climbed into a tent through an open window.

First aid for a bite

To minimize consequences of a spider bite with a cross on his back, do not neglect first aid. It should be remembered that along with poison, an infection can get into the wound, which will do no less harm, and maybe even more than the toxin itself. What should be done first?

1. Thoroughly wash the bite site with cold running water and soap.
2. If the swelling is severe, apply a cold compress, you can use ice for a short time.
3. Take an antihistamine, such as suprastin, loratadine, zodak.
4. After some time, an ointment can be applied to the site of the lesion to relieve itching and swelling (fenistil, sinaflan).

If the cross has bitten the child, do not wait for a reaction to the poison, immediately consult a doctor.

Precautionary measures

Although crosses are quite common, direct contact with them is easy to avoid.

Going into the forest, put on closed clothing, bypass the thickets if you notice circular networks of cobwebs in them.

Arriving after the winter in the country, carefully inspect window openings, cornices, dodge the spider web, do the cleaning with gloves. The same applies to gardening.

If you find a cross, admire it at a distance, do not touch it with your hands.

What is a spider-cross: